This has been brewing a long time because of summer, work, volunteer work, blogs and so on and so forth. Sorry about that.

Seinäjoki, Ilona Live Carnival 9.7.2011

SPINAL TAP MOMENTS, AIR HUGS AND TONG WIGGLING

Mikko and I arrived at the Live Carnival about half an hour before the gig started. At the front gate there were "no colors" -sign and I wondered, what has been going on in Ostrobothnia since I moved away? Has it become overrun by motorcycle gangs? Weird.

There were drunken people everywhere and I was a bit anxious. Nevertheless, there was still a spot open for us in the second row and we planted ourselves there firmly. The gig started a few minutes early, that was a first! We were at the left side of the stage, right in front of a huge loud speaker. Mikko had earplugs, but I hadn’t brought mine. I know, that was stupid but what can you do?

At the beginning of the gig there seemed to be something wrong while Dreaming Wide Awake. Olli was tuning some knobs, Captain mimed playing guitar at someone off the stage and Jaska seemed to be a bit lost. But after a while they figured things out and the gig kept on going. At first I wasn’t in to the mood: the music seemed too loud, it was too hot and some girl wanted to get a better view so she kept trying to run me over with her boobs.

But then my ears adapted, the girl backed off and the music swept me away. It was still hot as hell but it didn’t matter, I was lost in music with my loved one by my side.

Marko's Poet of the Fall character was channeling the overall mood of the audience: a bit aggressive and horny, or so it felt to me. He was clutching his crotch, swinging the microphone in front of his loins suggestively, twirling his fingers on top of his nipples and throwing some swear words among the lyrics.

And this time when people raised their hands as an answer to the question before Carnival of Rust "who of you have come here with someone?", he commented that it was a good thing that all of us weren't singles, otherwise the night wouldn't be long enough and wiggled his tong. He has done things like that before, but this time more than usual. But then there were some tender moments also, like the hugging gesture that encompassed us all and before Roses he said that he wished that he could give us all real roses.

It's been a long time since I have seen Marko doing introductions of the band or the whole band bowing hand in hand at the end of the show. All I remember from the introductions is Marko saying that Jaska plays guitar like Lucifer himself. Jaska changed his shirt at backstage at some point and when he came back, he got huge applause and a lot of cat calls. No wonder, he looked really hot that evening, even before the shirt change. Marko asked what he would have to do to get that kind of appreciation, take his shirt completely off ? But that was just a tease, pffft. Jani seemed to be in a very good mood, his smile lit the stage and I loved seeing him play bass back to back with Marko.

There was a lot of laughter on the stage during the gig. Before the encore songs started, Olli was still missing and Marko quipped that Olli had to go to take a pee. Then he started a joke but he never finished it: a man went to a bar...

After the gig I was exhausted from all the jumping and completely drenched. In addition to that my eyes had a kind of pandaish look because of a runny eyeliner. Someone might have thought that I had been in a shower with my clothes on. Oh well, it was worth it, like always. I spotted a familiar face, it was Carpe Diem that I hadn't seen in ages! I went to say hi and gave her a hug. She was in the middle of an conversation with some people, so I didn't chat long with her and went to say hi to redbossfan. It was nice to meet her but it was a bit difficult to chat while music was playing really loudly so we kept it brief. Better luck next time =)

Misc: Mikko noticed that Olli had a different acoustic guitar than what he had at the Tavastia gig.

Random funny line: (after the unfinished joke) This is the Spinal Tap moment of Poets of the Fall!

Summa summarum: One of the best things about that gig was being there with my love. Our fists pumping the air at the same time, our hands side by side doing the clock winding thing during Locking up the sun in unison with Marko, the looks and shaking our heads while laughing at Marko’s antics, Mikko giving me support to jump even higher during Lift and the kissess we shared. I am such a lucky girl that I can share the band that I love with the man that I love.

Wow, long time coming with the report. Thank you for the memories! You mentioned a few things I had already forgotten (and a few I didn't catch because my Finnish is so bad). A great read and it was nice meeting you.

_________________Child of the Fall .....&....Follower of Seasons

...one of the things I have learned is it is best to try and live a life pursuing the Wow! rather than the “So what?” (Jonathan Carroll)

_________________And your tears have been worthwhileThey got you through to a different place and time where all is newTo the start of something fine"You music lovers, you dreamers, you sweet, beautiful children of the fall"

I'm so glad I was there with you *huggles*! Thanks for the blog entry, it's a very nice read and it certainly helps to remember (in the long run), even if it's from someone else's point of view ^^ Maybe I should write something down too, just for myself.

_________________And your tears have been worthwhileThey got you through to a different place and time where all is newTo the start of something fine"You music lovers, you dreamers, you sweet, beautiful children of the fall"

_________________And your tears have been worthwhileThey got you through to a different place and time where all is newTo the start of something fine"You music lovers, you dreamers, you sweet, beautiful children of the fall"

“Poets Of The Falla“ (as it said on the ticket) at Kooma Night Club, Turku on December 3rd 2011.

The morning of the Poets Of The Fall Turku gig started early for me. I woke around 7 am to a stomach pain: oh yeah, I was excited and nervous alright. I arranged to meet my friends sometime in the early evening. I reached Turku train station by car around 7 pm and hopped into the first bus heading downtown. It wasn’t a long ride, but it saved me from getting soaked. I walked over to Old Bank pub where a bunch of my friends were already gathered. We whiled away the time by chatting and drinking tea and sometime after 8 pm we left Old Bank and moved on to Taivas Music Bar (a part of the complex that Kooma Night Club is in), where we now and then had to listen to the karaoke that the place kindly offered.

A few minutes, maybe 10 or 15, before Kooma Night Club was due to open its doors we lined up in front of the entrance and were the only people to do so. We didn’t have to wait for long, but still managed to attract dubious company. A drunken man came to explain to one of my friends how he knows her to have 50 cows and how she’s an excellent farmer. He wasn’t the only weirdo of the evening either. After settling comfortably onto the sturdy boxes in front of the stage (front row, oh yeah!) the dancing on the dance floor started. Later on there was a young man who practically kept leaping all over the dance floor. A little later he asked the same friend of mine to dance and asked if she was available. She would have none of it, and eventually the guy found other dance partners. Luckily, I’d say.

From 11 pm onwards I started checking my watch about every 15 to 20 minutes. We were all just waiting for the gig to start. Around midnight when Einari came on stage to do the finishing touches (turning on the machinery, placing towels and soft drink bottles, last minute sound check and such) we all turned our backs on the dance floor and the final wait begun. The club DJ started playing rock. When ‘We Will Rock You’ by Queen was played, the whole front row started beating the railing and clapping hands together. It took a few more songs after that until the band finally got on the stage. They certainly got their share of applauds and screaming. The wait was over, the gig was starting.

I can’t remember the set list at all. I have no idea what they started with. During the first couple of songs I was having a hard time focusing. This has happened before, so I wasn’t too worried about it. I mean, I would have wanted to devour the entire band with my eyes at once and since this isn’t possible at front row, I didn’t quite know who to watch and so my gaze just kept wandering rather aimlessly, stopping for no one, while my hands were clapping automatically to the rhythm of the music.

The first clear memory is a few songs into the gig, The Ultimate Fling. I have no idea why it hit me that hard, it’s not one of my absolute favorites, but it just really rocked me good. And so I head banged. Properly. With flying hair. Later on that I’ve asked around, my front row friends saw me doing it. I think Olli caught it from the stage as well and laughed at the fun I was having. Maybe it’s only my imagination, but his rock vibes seemed to go up a notch as well.

This was my first club gig ever. I’ve mostly done only festivals before and it’s not quite as close up as this (for example, you never see their feet). So for the first time I noticed the way Olli uses the pedal board. It was really interesting: the man plays guitar with his feet as well (I’m sure it’s the same with Jaska too but he was too far away from me for any observations). I don’t know much at all about the technical equipment side of music, I had found out that there even is such a thing as a pedal board for guitar only a few days before the gig, on Poets Of The Fall Forum to be precise. Thanks to POTF_Admin for posting the photo of it!

After some of the heavier songs the set took a turn to the softer side of Poets Of The Fall. Sleep was quite enchanting for me: to see Captain playing the beginning on his own before the other instruments joined in was sheer perfection. Yes, I have a very soft spot for piano pieces. Another slowie that stole my heart was Given and Denied, which I would say is the song I favor the most out of all Poets Of The Fall songs so far. To see Marko singing with such emotion and to watch Olli play the solo of it so close up was another high point of the gig for me.

At some point Marko shook hands with people from the stage not too far away from me. I reached, but didn’t get a handshake. I was able to briefly touch the back of his hand though. Jaska did the same thing during the time he had switched places with Olli for a while, and I got a proper handshake from him. I guess the whole thing caught fire because Captain also gave handshakes; I got one from him too.

When the gig was almost over, just one song before the encore, was when things took a turn for worse for me. People behind me were pushing forward and the woman behind me, without it being her fault, had to press against me. Normally it wouldn’t have bothered me at all, but I started feeling unwell. My legs went weak like there was no strength left and I felt dizzy. I considered my options: leaving didn’t seem to be one, the wall of people behind me seemed too tightly knit to push through. I also didn’t want to turn my back to the band and sit onto the box for a little to make the worst of it go away. I felt I couldn’t do that to Poets unless I would get worse still. All I could do was lean on the box in front of me and not do anything else. I have to say that I’m kind of hoping the band didn’t notice anything. I know however that my friends in the front row did: some of them had wondered what’s going on and at least one had gotten worried.

After taking it easy for a while (the last song before encore and the first two songs of encore) I got a little better. The last song, Lift, was able to evoke some energy in me, and I was capable of at least clapping along a little bit to show my appreciation. If I recall correctly, Olli was one of the last members of the band to leave the stage because he was the furthest away from the exit. After he was done putting away his guitar, some other front row fans to my left were reaching their hands to him, and he also did the handshake and so I got one from him too.

When the guys had exited the stage, Einari came back to turn all the equipment off. I managed to catch his attention and to give him the package that I had for someone. He read what I had written on top of it and nodded at me and walked away with it. Mission accomplished! I asked Stefanie what her plans were, if we were leaving soon or not. We weren’t, so I went to buy myself some coca-cola and before leaving we just hung around for a time and talked (or actually shouted into each other’s ears) as much as the loud music allowed.

To collect the whole of my experience together: I had the best time, thank you Poets Of The Fall!

Thank you, Annika! It was a great report and some things I've already forgot come back to my mind. Btw. there was this woman behind me who in the end of the concert always waved her hand between me and my friend's head, but I tend to ignore people behind me .... as long they are no "metsämies etsii naisen" types like this dancing man

Thank you for sharing this with us

_________________Life doesn't run a clear courseIt flows through from withinIt's supposed to take you places and leave markings on your skin(Love Will Come to You - Poets of the Fall)

Thank you for the wonderful report Annika. You remember a lot more details than I do. Sorry that you were feeling unwell for a while. Wish I ha been closer and could have done something about it. Nonetheless it wa sgreat sharing the gig and the rest of the weekend with you.

_________________Child of the Fall .....&....Follower of Seasons

...one of the things I have learned is it is best to try and live a life pursuing the Wow! rather than the “So what?” (Jonathan Carroll)

Although I did not attend the St. Petersburg show, I found the setlist from setlist.fm and figured I would post it since we have yet to hear from anyone and if you are like me, you are curious to what they played:

Gravity, nice! Thanks a lot!I'm a bit surprised they only played four songs from ToT. Hope the attendants like the gig!

_________________This day will die tonight and there ain't no exceptionWhy should I wait for nothing to wait for?I won't cry for my solitude, lay my head and dream of youand hope that you'll come knocking on my door.

I'm a bit surprised they only played four songs from ToT. Hope the attendants like the gig!

I guess there will be more songs from ToT in the future. Even though they are your own songs you still need to learn those, rehearse and arrange them different for a live performance. No need to tell that playing in the studio and playing on stage are two different worlds.

I'm too critical, but it looks like it could have (and should have) been a little better organized... Feels like in a chaos like that fewer people get a chance for an autograph than they would if it was properly done.Ramblings of a control freak.But POTF guys sure are darlings in how they treat their fans.